Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala filed a lawsuit in federal court against Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday, asking that she be reinstated in 23 murder cases that Scott took from her control after she said in March that she would not pursue the death penalty.
She alleges this move is unconstitutional, having "deprived voters in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of their chosen State Attorney".
Ayala became the first black state attorney in Florida history after she was elected in November in Florida's 9th district, which includes Orlando. Meanwhile some lawmakers say Governor Scott hasn't gone far enough- they want her removed from office.
Scott removed her from the Loyd case via executive order and later replaced her in almost two dozen other death penalty cases.
Ayala earned the wrath of Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Republican lawmakers after the newly elected state attorney announced last month she would not seek the death penalty for Loyd or any other defendants accused of capital crimes during her tenure in office. Loyd is charged with killing Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton and his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon.
Ayala said she would consider changing her mind only if the death-penalty system changes so it doesn't drag out for years and delay a sense of closure for victims' families.
"Don't think you're the one who can burn trash and get away with it", Putnam said."It just takes one spark to get caught by the wind to set a neighbor's property on fire".
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Notice of reconsideration was given, meaning the bill may be voted on again before going to the Senate. I believe the Senate has an aggressive but reasonable pathway to make tax reform an immediate reality.
"After extensively researching the relevant law, as well as the facts of the Loyd case, Ayala determined that she would seek a sentence of life without the possibility of parole in Loyd's case, not a sentence of death", the suit states.
Later in the day, when asked specifically about the lawsuits, Scott said he hadn't seen them, but he repeated his opposition to her decision to not to seek the death penalty against Loyd.
Florida's Department of Health, Department of Children and Families and Department of Law Enforcement will in the coming weeks begin workshops in Palm Beach, Manatee, Duval and Orange counties.
Ayala argued then that evidence has shown the death penalty is overly expensive, slow, inhumane and does not increase public safety.
Ayala's suit claims she called Scott after the March announcement and the governor also asked her to recuse herself.
Officials say wildfires in Florida have already burned 2 1/2 times more land in the first three months of 2017 than during the same period past year.
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